Tom Kitchin has branded the alcohol ban in the new tier three restrictions from Monday November 2 as "catastrophic" for the hospitality industry.
The well-known Edinburgh chef took to Twitter yesterday in a direct address to Nicola Sturgeon, as the new tier alert system is set to begin next week.
Under the new system, Edinburgh has been given the level three status, with the hope to move to level two in the coming weeks.
Under the new restrictions, restaurants in the level three are able to open until 6pm, however they are prohibited from selling alcohol on the premises.
Since the new ruling was announced, many hospitality workers have shared their serious concerns for their future, with restaurants such as Chez Jules even staging a 'dine-in' protest outside the Scottish Parliament.
This concern has been echoed by Tom Kitchin, who currently runs The Kitchin restaurant, and is known as one of the youngest chefs to ever be awarded a Michelin star.
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Like many across the city, Tom expressed that he and his staff are more than willing to work within the restrictions, but have warned of the impact a continued alcohol ban could have.
In a tweet, he said:
"Dear @NicolaSturgeon, we all want to drive the virus down & we will work within restrictions BUT to not allow serving alcohol in restaurants is catastrophic.
"We need these sales to help pay staff & our suppliers. This is serious. Help retain Scottish hospitality & tourism."
You can find a full explanation of all the rules and restrictions included in the five tier system by following the link here.
